Synchronous timer



Dect. 9, 1947. G, G 'sMl-[H 2,432,346

v sYNcHRoNoUs TIMER l Filed March so, 194s wax@ Patented Dec. 9, 1 947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y sYNcHRoNoUs TIMER',

George o. smitanlgin, n1.

Application March 30, 1946, Serial No. 658,418 i and while not limited thereto it is especially adapted for use as a synchro-nous dairy timer for giving a controlled milking interval for machinemilked dairy herds.

By the present invention, the ever increasing demand for short-cycle milking as advocated by the agricultural extension divisions of leading State universities is made possible. Audible and visual signals are simultaneouslyoperated by a timer mechanism, and eliminate the possibility of irregular milking periods as exist under the methods in use prior .to my invention. milked under my novel system soon become accustomed to the time allotted, with the result of increased production and a corresponding overall saving of time. With the use of the present invention, it has been found that in all instances,V

manpower and milking equipment can be reduced and, at the same time, a decided increase in production obtained.

Among the objects of my invention are: to provide a novel and improved synchronous timer; to provide a novel synchronous dairy timer; to provide a synchronous dairy timer in which the timing is accomplished by the use of electrically'- operated control relays and synchronous timers made up in units to handle the number of milking machines required for milking the herd in question; to provide a device for decreasing the time of the milking cycle, and eliminate the possibility of irregular milking periods; to provide a device of the character referred to in which a synchronous motor is used for controlling the time of the timing apparatus and which when the timing interval has elapsed causes an audible anda visible signal to be plainly given; to provide a battery of units connected in electrical circuits so that a plurality of cows may be milked at the same or different periods as desired; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities, inherently possessed by my invention, as will later more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodiment, I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my` invention.

In the drawing the single view shows diagrammatically the various parts and circuits ofv a synchronous timer embodying my invention.

While not limited thereto, my invention is particularly adapted` for .use as a synchronous dairy Herds 4 claims. (c1. rc1-'1.5)

` timer, and I am, for illustrative purposes, so describing it, but wish it understood that it may be used in such other connections and for such other purposes to which it may be adapted. As

- shown in the drawing, my improved timer comprises generally a relay l having a pair of twoway switches 2 and 3, a synchronous motor 4 having a two-way switch 5, a visible signal including a light 6, an audible signal including `a buzzer or the like 1, a momentary switch 8, a pilot light 9, a main circuit switch I0, a doublepole single-throw switch Il, and circuits connecting said parts as later more fully explained. For convenience I have shown my timer as including three similar units A, B and C for timing the milking interval or cycle of three milking machineswhich may be applied to the respective cows and operated simultaneously or in delayed sequence as desired. It will be understood, however, that a greater or less number of such units may be used to time the milking cycle of `the milking machines on a greater or less number of cows as may be desired.

As the three units A, B and C are the same in construction and operation, I will, for convenience, only describe the construction and operation of unit A in detail, and indicate similar parts in unit B by similar reference numerals with an exponent l (or prime), and similar parts in unit C by similar reference numerals with a double prime. Each of the three units are connected by suitable circuits to a main circuit, having the lead wires L1 and L2 incorporated in a plug adapted to be inserted into a wall socket or other suitable source of 110 volt A. C. electrical current. After plugging the plug into the power outlet the single-pole toggle switch I0 is closed, which energizes the circuit, lighting the small pilot light 9, thus showing that the current is complete. After placing the milking machine on the cow, the momentary switch button 8 of unit A is depressed. This energizes the holding coil of the relay I through the circuit L1, l2--I9 and L2.

Energization of this holding coil immediately moves the movable member 20 of the two-way switch 2 away from contact 2| and into contact with contact 22, and at the same time moves the movable member 23 of the two-way switch 3 away from contact 24 and into contact with the stop 25. The movable members 20 and 23 are spring urged to normally engage contacts 2l and 24 when the relay holding coil is de-energized. For convenience of understanding, the two-way switch 3 has been shown on the right hand side of the relay coil, whereas it should be on the left hand side for the operations described, but it will be understood that it is in fact positioned on the left hand side, but to so place it in the drawing could confuse the lines. 'Ihe main requirement is that the two-way switches 2 and 3 operate as described above. It will hence be assumed that the switch 3 is on the left hand side of the coil but in rthe same arrangement of switch parts as shown. k Y

Momentary switch 81is only held closed for an instant by the operators finger, and when released is spring pressed to open position, but this instant is suicient to energize the relay coil and move movable iingers 20 and 23 into engagementl with contact 22 and `stop 25 and break contact with contacts 2| and 24, Momentary switch 8 now being open, the current will iiow from wire I4 through wire 26, movable member 21' of the two-way switch 5, wires 28 and 29, movable'member 2i), and Wires I 'I-I9 and L2. It will also be noted vthat wire 30e-3| has a live connection with both of wires I2 and 28 and coils around the portion 32 ofthe field `magnets 33 and 34 of the s'ynchronous motor 4. This energizes the motor which starts the timing interval.

By snapping the double-pole single-throw toggle switch Ilvclosed', after the momentaryl switch 8 ha's been'pushedclosed; the indicator light 6 and the-buzzer? are cut into the circuit, but they willn'otyet be energized because the movable members 20 and 23 oi-I the two-'way switches l2 and "3 @are 'moved away (by the relay coil) from contacts-*2| and 24, thus breaking these circuits to the light and'lbuzzer. Connected `byanysuitable conventional speed reducing mechanism to thearmature of' the motor 4 is a `member Sli reduced Ain speed to such' an extent that one revo lution'of memberif'will substantially-.be th'e time allotted to'lthe milking interval ofthe mil-king machine being timed by u'nitA. Member 35 is provided on its' outer margin with a finger 33 whichlwh'en" it w-ipes over movable member 21 of two-way switch 5, will throw member 2l away from' contact 3'! and intofengagement with cone tact-38'.' As will 'be understood, `the circumferentialesp'eed of wiping finger 36 may be varied by conventional speed reducing connection' to `the motor armature'as desired'` Hence a longer or' shorter m-ilking'intervalcan be allotted as'desi-red.

When the wiping. yfinger '361 basi-moved nearly tolthe end of'the timing interval, it llwill contact movable member 21 and throw'it away from its spring?urged`l engagement with Contact 3l and into len'gagernent'with contact 38; Iliisl-imme' diately breaks"'the circuit :through wire `2S 'and de-en'ergizes'the relay coil with the result that movable members. 2u and 23 of the' two-way switches 2 and' 3 z will be spring -urgedbackinto engagement vwith contacts 2l vand' zii/respectively. This.energizesfthelight''and buzzer? and causes these'signals to' become apparent. The current forthe light willifollowlthe closed circuit'Li, 46, 4I, switch' i I (which hadipreviously been closed), 42;'rconta'cti2l, movable :armf28`, I, .58, swit'chllil (which. is now closed) vI Eland L2. The current'ior the buzzer'llwill iollowthe closed circuit Li, 43,413, switchlfl," 45,46, contact 24, movable .arm23, Il;

I8;` switch I 3,1 9 'and-L2.

:After 'the wiping arm tihas `moved movable memberz awayirom engagement-with contact 371 and into engagement with contact 38, Vit is desirable thatthe motor continuato run until thiswipingffa-rm hasaclearedfthe free end ofinevable member 21 soas-topositon thelp'ar'ts to'be ready-to .start anew` cycle `zupon pushingfmom'em tary switch 8 closed. This is made possible by forming a permanent live connection between wires 3l and 28, as a result of which, even though no current ows through contact 3l, current will now through the motor field magnet coil through the circuit L1, I2, 30, 3|, 28, movable member 21, contact 38, 39, 42, Contact 2 I, movable member 20, Il, I8, switch I0, I9 and L2. The motor thus continues until wiping arm 36 clears the free end of movablemember 21 whereupon vthe latter under spring action snaps back into engagement with contact 3l and the motor stops because its circuit is broken. About one second is consumed inthe-:take-over just described, and the circuit is then set up for a repeat operation.

The'buzzer 1 is a common buzzer for all of the units A, B -and C, and an audiblesignal will be heard with any combination of indicator lights. This is accomplished by using a common buzzer across the 8v0lt secondary 4l of the transformer T, Vwhile the switching circuit controls the volt primary 48. Theoperations of .units B and uC (or additional `units if desired) in gang are'the same as .described for unit A, and may be cut in or out of the circuit by manipulating the double=pole'single-throw toggle switches II and II".

From the above the operation of the three-unit timer-will be seen to be as follows:

l. The unit is plugged into any 110 volt A. C. lighter power outlet.

2. snapping the single-pole toggle switch I0 closed', energizes thefcircuit, light-ing a small pilot light Sf-showing that the current is complete.

3; After Aplacing the milking machine on the cow, the `momentary switch button anisv depressed. This-energizes the holding coil I of the relay, which -in turn energizes the synchronous motor 4, which starts the timing interval.

4. 'By snapping the double-pole single-throw toggle switch II closed, the indicator light 6 and buzzer i are cut into the circuit, and upon completion ofthe Ytiming,interval,,avisual signal will appear, accompanied by an audible signal, Vwhich will continue until the milker is removed and placed infoperation on the next cow tobe milked, at `which timev the Vmomentary control button 8 isagain depressed and-a new cycle'is started.

5; The holdng'coil ofi-the relay I, upon being energized by the momentary contact of control button'isiautornatically interlocked into thefcircuit through-the closed contacts 2B and 22 and the-broken contacts 23 and 24.

V6. When the' timing interval `is completed, .the norm-ally. `closed ccntactsyrzl and 31 are opened bythe wiping-linger. of thev synchronous motor. which `opens the'ci-rcuit to the holding coil of the relay and completes `-thecircuit-to the.indicat0r= light. and y,buzzer through the .new closed contacts'2l'land 2I'of switch'Z` and .23 and 24 ofswitch3, atthe sam'e'time 'transferring-the synchronous. motor current source through the normally open contacts 2l and38 ofthe syn'- chrono-usmotor which were closed by. the wiping nger; Thisfurnishes'energyfto the motor, which continuesiuntil the .wiping iinger, clears the movablermember Z'Iand its contacts'return to-normallys'closed position. At this time, the synchronousimotor'comes to rest and the circuitlis -set up for a further similar: operation.

Ivclaim':

1'." In timing apparatus, af motor,va'relay^1h`av ing aiswitchpaf relay switch, a motor-'operated switch, .a'emomentary initiating switch, `a signal, a `.circuit 1 adapted :to be connected with V ai-source of electrical current and connecting said parts, means to de-energize the signal when the initiating switch is closed, means to automatically energize the signal when the motor-operated switch is operated by the motor, the closing of thc initiating switch energizing the motor and the relay, and the opening of the motor-operated switch de-energizing the relay without cie-energizing the motor.

2. In timing apparatus, a motor, a relay having a switch, a relay switch, a motor-operated switch, a momentary initiating switch, a signal, a circuit adapted to be connected with a source of electrical current and connecting said parts, means to de-energize the signal when the initiating switch is closed, means to automatically energize the signal when the motor-operated switch is operated by the motor, the closing of the initiating switch energizing the motor and the relay, and the opening of the motor-operated switch de-energizing the relay without de-energizing the motor, and means to de-energize and stop the motor shortly after the opening of the motor-operated switch without de-energizing the signal.

3. In timing apparatus, a motor, a relay having a switch, a relay switch, a motor-operated switch, a momentary initiating switch, a signal, a circuit adapted to be connected with a source of electrical current and connecting said parts, means to Ade-energize the signal when the initiating switch is closed, means to automatically energize the signal when the motor-operated switch is operated by the motor, the closing of the initiating switch energizing the m-otor and the relay, and the opening of the motor-operated switch de-energizing the relay without de-energizing the motor, means to de-energize and stop the motor shortly after the opening of the motor-operated switch without de-energizing the signal, said signal being a visible signal, a second relay switch, an audible signal, and means to -de-energize and energize the audible signal simultaneously with the de-energizing and energizing of the Visible signal.

4. In timing apparatus, a motor, an electrically operated control relay having a two-way switch, a motor-operated two-way switch, a momentary switch, a signal device, and an electrical circuit connected with a source of supply of electrical current and connecting said parts, a first contact of the relay switch being connected with the signal device, a second contact of the relay switch being connected with the movable part of the motor-operated switch, a iirst contact of the vmotor-operated switch being connected with the relay circuit and the momentary switch, and a second contact of the motor-operated switch being connected with the signal device, whereby when the momentary switch is closed the relay will be energized, the motor started, the relay switch moved to break the circuit to the signal and connect the circuit to the movable part of the motor-operated switch which normally contacts its said rst contact, means operated by the motor armature which when the armature has rotated a certain predetermined amount will move the movable part of the motor operated switch into contact with its said second contact to de-energize the relay and energize the signal, and a circuit connected with the circuit from the said second contactV of the relay switch to the movable part of the motor-operated switch and through the eld magnet of the motor -back to the main circuit whereby when the movable part of the motor-operated switch contacts its said second contact the motor will continue to be energized until the movable part of the motoroperated switch moves away from its said second contact.

GEORGE G. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,475,715 Oswald Nov. 27, 1923 2,223,207 Ellis Nov. 26, 1940 2,269,973 Hathaway Jan. 13, 1942 

